Bath travel guide
Tours, attractions, events and places to stay, picked by people who know the city.
A small World Heritage city in a bowl of green hills, built in honey-coloured stone around natural hot springs. The Roman Baths and Bath Abbey sit side by side at its heart, the Georgian terraces of the Circus and the Royal Crescent climb the slopes above, and Thermae Bath Spa lets you bathe in the spring water. The centre is compact and walkable, and Bath is a natural base for day trips to Stonehenge, the Cotswolds, Wells and Bristol.
- Currency
- Pound sterling (£)
- Main airport
- Bristol (BRS), 19 miles away, linked by the hourly A4 Airport Flyer bus
- Time zone
- GMT, BST in summer
- Paying for transport
- Contactless on First buses, capped at £6.80 a day in the Bath zone
Most-booked tours
Ratings and prices from verified bookings.
ViatorHeadphoned Tour: Discover Bath & Bridgerton with Music
1.5 hoursFrom £16
ViatorBridgerton Thememed Smartphone photo walking tour
2 hoursFrom £110
ViatorWalking Tour of Bath with Blue Badge Tourist Guide
2 hoursFrom £22
ViatorRock and roll Through Time Bath’s Hidden Music History
2 hoursFrom £19.95
ViatorRoman Baths and Bath City Walking Tour
2 hoursFrom £25.50
ViatorThe Beatles in Bath 1963 A Live Piano Tribute And City Walk
1.5 hoursFrom £19
ViatorHalf-Day Small-Group Tour to Stonehenge from Bath, inc Entry
4 hoursFrom £75
Top attractions
The sights most visitors build a trip around.
The Roman Baths
Timed tickets from £23.50 in winter; book ahead
Bath Abbey
From £9; fan vaulting and tower tours by the Roman Baths
Royal Crescent and No. 1 Royal Crescent
Free to see; museum at No. 1 from £16, under-18s free
Thermae Bath Spa
2-hour sessions from £44; rooftop pool, over-16s
Pulteney Bridge and WeirFree
Free: the bridge of shops and the weir
The CircusFree
Free: Wood's Georgian circle of townhouses
What's on
Tickets via Ticketmaster and Tiqets. Updated nightly.
Where to stay
Pick a neighbourhood first. Each one suits a different kind of trip.
City Centre
The Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, the Christmas Market and the station all on your doorstep · 14 places we rate
Royal Crescent and the Circus
Grand Georgian streets, quieter evenings and Royal Victoria Park, uphill from the centre · 8 places we rate
Great Pulteney Street and Bathwick
Elegant Georgian townhouses over Pulteney Bridge, near the Holburne Museum and Sydney Gardens · 8 places we rate
Oldfield Park and the Wells Road
Good-value Victorian B&Bs on the hill south of the station, some with parking · 5 places we rate
Local guides
Plans and tips for getting the most out of Bath.
Christmas in Bath 2026: market dates, ice rink, panto and opening hours
Bath Christmas Market dates (26 November to 13 December 2026), Bath on Ice, the Theatre Royal panto, The Snowman trail and what is open over the holidays.
Read the guide · 5 minDay trips from Bath: Stonehenge, the Cotswolds, Wells, Lacock and Bristol
The best day trips from Bath, with journey times, public transport and 2026 prices: Stonehenge, the Cotswolds, Lacock, Wells, Bristol and Salisbury.
Read the guide · 5 minFirst time in Bath: a two-day plan
Two days in Bath: the Roman Baths and Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, the Circus and Royal Crescent, a soak at Thermae Bath Spa and a walk above the city, with times and prices.
Read the guide · 4 minFree things to do in Bath
Free things to do in Bath, from the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge to free walking tours, the Victoria Art Gallery’s Upper Gallery, parks and the Bath Skyline.
Read the guide · 4 minDay trips from Bath
Easy days out by train or coach.
- StonehengeAbout 1 to 1.5 hours by road, or train to Salisbury and the Stonehenge Tour bus
- The Cotswolds (Castle Combe)Castle Combe is 13 miles north, about 30 minutes by road, or a guided tour
- WellsAbout 1 hour 20 minutes on First bus 173 or 174
- BristolAbout 12 minutes by train
- LacockAbout 45 minutes by road, or a guided tour
- SalisburyAbout 1 hour by train
Getting around
Walking
Bath is compact and most visitors walk everywhere. Bath Spa railway station and the bus station on Dorchester Street are side by side at the southern edge of the centre, and the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey are five to ten minutes' walk away. Pulteney Bridge is five minutes further, and the Circus and the Royal Crescent about 15 minutes uphill from the Abbey. Pavements are uneven in places and the streets north of the centre are steep.
Buses and fares
First Bus runs most city routes from the bus station, including buses to Prior Park (route 2), the University and Bathwick Hill for the Bath Skyline (U1 and U18), and Bristol (X39). Pay the driver with contactless or cash, or buy on the First Bus app. A single adult journey within the Bath zone costs £2.60. With Tap On, Tap Off, you tap the same contactless card or phone when you board and when you get off, and adult fares are capped at £6.80 a day and £28 for seven days within the Bath zone. Train travellers can add PlusBus to their rail ticket for unlimited bus travel around Bath from £5.40 a day.
Park and Ride
Three Park and Ride sites ring the city: Lansdown (route 31, to Milsom Street), Newbridge (route 21, to Westgate Buildings) and Odd Down (routes 41 and 4, to SouthGate). Parking is free at most sites, buses run up to every 15 minutes, and services now run until 11.30pm Monday to Saturday and 6pm on Sundays and public holidays. The sites sit outside Bath's clean air zone, which charges taxis, vans, buses, coaches and lorries that do not meet emission standards, but not private cars.
Trains and coaches
Great Western Railway runs fast trains from Bath Spa to London Paddington in about 80 minutes, and to Bristol Temple Meads in about 12 to 15 minutes. National Express coaches run from London Victoria, Heathrow and Gatwick to Bath Bus Station.
Airport transfers
Bristol Airport is 19 miles away. The A4 Bath Airport Flyer bus runs hourly between the airport and Bath via Saltford and Keynsham, costing £9.50 single or £16 return; it has its own tickets, which also cover other buses in the Bath zone. Coaches also run from London Heathrow and Gatwick.